


It's the Fall that Will Kill You

by Niteshayde (wrenwyn)



Series: The Life and Times of a Super Hero in Post Wall Dublin [3]
Category: Dani O'Malley Series, Fever Series - Karen Marie Moning, Iced
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Language, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-31 22:16:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1036993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrenwyn/pseuds/Niteshayde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The day after the "finger" incident.  Dani has a lot to remember.  Perhaps Barrons can help her with that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's the Fall that Will Kill You

**Author's Note:**

> These wonderful character belong to Karen Marie Moning. I just wanted to play with them at the beach.
> 
> Special thanks to firesign10 for her wonderful beta reading. Any typoes/punctuation errors are mine entirely. We'll just blame it on the vodka.

It’s Lor.

“Hi,” I say, still chewing. “What’s up?” I slap the control panel and my door shuts as we continue down the hall together.

“How’d you sleep?” he mutters. I don’t get the muttering. Lor is like a freight train -- he shouts, he doesn’t mutter.

“Great, you?” Small talk? Who is this man? I look up at him and his face is one massive bruise. “What was up with you and Ryodan last night?” I know, Ryodan told me, but I ask anyway. 

“I could ask you the same.”

“Well, I’d never answer you, so you might as well stow it." I stop walking and face him full on. He dwarfs me, all six feet, four inches of him to my little over five and three quarters. Let me pause here and explain that Lor is a good looking dude. Not in the same polished way Ryodan is, or the lithe panther kinda way Barrons is, but handsome in his own right. His hair is super short, his eyes are like magnets; once you’re looking at him, ya kinda don’t wanna look anywhere else (unless Ryodan is around). Plus he's got a grin that's totally contagious. If you don’t smile back, I think your face cracks. Right now, he's not smiling. If anything, he's looking more somber than I've ever seen him, even after he shot me.

I might as well get this over with, so I say, "Ryo told me you came over to sit with Mac and me last night 'cause you were sniffing around me. He told me I was emitting some stink that hoisted the ‘come fuck me‘ flag or something. That true?” I'm staring at him. He’s hesitating before answering and I don’t like it. “Well?” I demand. “I thought you were there to look out for me, since I didn’t have my sword. Which is it?”

He's giving me a look that Ryodan has given me a time or two. I can't quite read it, but when Ryo looks at me that certain way I get hot and flush up. I've never been able to hold his gaze when he's looking at me "that" way. It gives me an odd feeling of anticipation and longing, though I'm not entirely clear what I'm longing for. From Lor, I feel discomforted. Doom, yeah, that's what I feel. Doom.

“It doesn’t make you stink,” is all he says. I close my eyes. So he came near me last night because he was, what? Excited by me? He wanted me? Gah, gross! I’m so disappointed I’m rocked with it. Here's a guy I considered my friend, no, more than that! I consider him family. No romantic feelings, no desire, no mushy bullshit to tread lightly around or fret over. No confusion. Last night, I unwittingly changed the rudimentary fabric of our relationship. I feel like my puppy just got murdered. 

“I’m glad you’re being honest with me,” I tell him. “I’d be broken up if you lied about it.” I give him credit, he's not hiding what he's feeling for me. That's desire in his eyes, it's pretty plain to see. I mean, hell! Even I’m picking up on it, and I’m a dunce when it comes to the opposite sex. 

But I'm not having it. I'm not giving up my pseudo-big bro. I swing from sorrow to full-on blazing fury in a micro-second, and just as fast I draw back my arm and punch Lor in the face with every bit of strength I have, same spot Ryodan tagged last night. He flies back and goes down like a 275 pound steel beam. He grabs his face, his hands cupping his nose as blood spurts. 

“What the fuck, Dani? I wouldn’t have done anything to you, ya know!” he blasts me. I step over him and straddle his chest so my feet are tight against his rib cage. I kneel down, knees resting on his collarbone so I have him pinned under my weight. I know if he decides to get up I’m going flying, but I’ve got a feeling he’ll hear me out. 

I lean forward and place my hands on floor, on either side of his head. I’m so mad I'm vibrating. Leaning down, I lock eyes with Lor and speak with deliberation. “Let me be perfectly fecking clear. I love you like a brother. You are an important part of my makeshift family and I am not now, nor will I ever be, interested in having sex with you. I trust you with my life. You watch my back, I watch yours. Did I lose that?” I feel his hands on my calves, kneading the muscles, and I wonder if we‘re going to end up in a wrestling match. Lor does have a tendency to fuck first and ask questions later. I’m certainly no match him strength for strength.

He squeezes where he grips me, his hands tucked behind my knees and he growls, “It’s not something I can help. When you‘re emitting the pheromones it‘s instinctual for me to be aroused by it, gravitate toward it. But it is something I can control. It may hit me at the base of my nature, but it‘s not going to turn me into an animal.” He pauses for what feels like a long time. After a beat he adds, “I’ll always have your back. I couldn‘t ask for a better little sis.”

Little sis. He thinks of me as a little sis! Relief floods through me. I could cheer, I'm so fecking happy. I keep my joy to myself, however, and just lean closer. "Good,” I say. I jump up to a crouch, landing my booted feet on his hips and launch myself up off his body. I summersault backward to land on my feet a few feet away from his prone body and offer him an arm up. He takes it and together we get him on his feet.

“Where’d you learn that?” His nose is still gushing blood and he sounds a little congested. I pull a hanky out of my pocket and hand it to him. He shoves it up both nostrils, to stop the stream of blood. Guess I won’t ask for it back. 

“Ryo,” I tell him. We’re both walking like joes, difference is I’m not bleeding. Well, and he’s 10 or so inches taller than me, but who's paying attention. 

“Dani?” he says. I stop and look up at him. “You’re growing into a lovely woman.” I look away, uncomfortable with the compliment. “We’ve got your back, we nine. I’m sure Mac does, too, but don’t let your guard down around anyone else.” Christian comes to mind.

“Dude, I know that.” I’m touched by his concern, but I don’t need it. I continue walking. "I’ve been watching after myself for a lot longer than I’ve been under Chester's roof and rubble ya know. We slow-mo’ing it?” I ask and indicate the elevator. He pulls out a Snickers and hands it to me.

“Nah, where's the challenge in that?” Lor says with a grin. I rip the wrapper off and stuff the chocolate in my mouth as we fly up the stairs.

Lor and I race the 20ish stories to the main floor of Chester’s. Technically he beats me, but I grab the back of his coat and yank him backward to get the upper hand and fly through the door first. I’m in mid-snicker, glancing back at him, when I slam full force into an immovable object. Ryodan. I would have ping ponged off him and probably slammed back into Lor, but Ryo grabs me around the waist and holds me fast.

“Dude,” I say. I’m grinning up at him, blushing. Didn't expect I was going to see him straight off. “Thanks.” He looks like the same old Ryodan. Well, not that he looks old, although I used to think of him that way. The older I get the younger he seems. But more to the point, the better we get along together, the more attractive he seems. He was a certifiable dick-head those first few months.

While still in his arms, I take in his appearance. Feck, the man fills out a suit, I tell ya. Dark grey with pink pinstripes. He’s handsome -- I’d even go so far as to say he’s gorgeous. Puts other men to shame, but I’d never tell him that. I wouldn't ever live it down. Does he look happier? Kinder? Yeah, right. This is Ryodan. The only way he’d soften is to beat him with a meat tenderizer. Still I’m happy to see him and happy to be alive and my smile won’t die.

“Dani, you're looking bright and cheerful this evening,” he tells me quietly. “I wonder what would have precipitated in putting you in such a happy countenance.” The corners of his mouth turn up ever so slightly. His voice is like the most enticing sound ever, pouring over me, warm and fluid. I stare at him. He's a lightening rod and I'm the bolt, just waiting to make contact. I forget about where we are, or even who’s around us. It all falls away, and leaves just him and me.

“You know full well,” I murmur. I’m suddenly hot and embarrassed, so I pull away and step back. He drops his arms, which were still wrapped around me. My mouth goes dry and my pulse hammers through my entire body. I'm at a loss for what to say or how to handle myself. This is beyond my experience with men. I don't have any to begin with, and Ryodan is more man than most. 

I decide the best course is to ignore the whole thing and change the subject. "I'm going to B, B & B." I turn to leave and high tail it outta there, heading for the stairs that leads to the main hub of the club. "I'll be back for 8. Cya, Lor.” I throw a wave over my shoulder, not waiting for his reply. I know I’m running away, but sometimes a super hero has to look out for number one, especially if she’s about to make an ass out of herself and throw herself at a man who’s out of her league. If I’m to understand these new feelings I have for Ryodan and his behavior toward me, then I need to talk it through with someone who's been there, done that. I need Mac.

As I walk away, I feel Ryodan watching me go. The extra sashay in my step is totally unintentional. I feel happier than I have in a long time, and I suffer no delusions why. I’m a little embarrassed that a guy is making me feel such elation, especially a guy I hated from the very bottoms of my high tops only a few years ago. But shit happens and life goes on, and all the rest of those stupid clichés that everyone is so fond of. I’m not going to examine my mood too closely. I’m just gonna enjoy it. 'Cause it's bound to change... it always does.

I jump on the banister and slide my ass down to the hub. The club is near empty this early, but most of the waitresses are in place and taking those few drink orders of the feckers who are already at Chester’s. I fast-mo it outside and breathe fresh air. The less time I spent in the main part of Chester's, the better. 

Getting to Barron's Books and Baubles, pushing myself and utilizing all my training, I burst through the door of the shop in record time, the bell slamming against it loudly announcing my arrival. I know they probably heard me come in but I shout "MAC! I'm HERE!" just in case she and Barrons are getting jiggy on the couch in the back. I may need man advice but I don't need visuals. Already have those from porn movies, thankyouverymuch.

Barrons steps out of his office. "Dani." Barrons is handsome as always in his dark suit. Why anyone would want to dress to the nines in PWD I can't guess, but he's nice to look at just the same. "Mac's not here, Dani. Anything you need?"

Like I could relate my love-life questions to Barrons! "Nah, I'm good," I answer, my disappointment plain. I really need Mac. How am I going to deal with Ryodan and not humiliate myself in some horrendous way without her? A dude needs her big sis at times like these.

Barrons steps closer and I have to crane my neck back to look him in the eyes. "Dani, I'm not a sub-in for Mac and I certainly don't wish to interfere." 

I wait for him to continue. When he doesn't, I say, "But?"

"But." He looks at me like he never has before. Always there's fondness and indulgence to a degree, but now, it's like he's seeing me for the first time and he doesn't know how to proceed. Maybe this is the look he gives a grown up. All of the nine can read your mind. They say they can’t, that if you live long enough, you know what everyone is thinking. Maybe that’s partially true, but I say they mind-read ‘cause the details Ryodan understands about me after staring into my eyes is freaky. "But," he continues, "I believe you have a right to know. I give you permission to remember."

‘Huh? Remember what’, I think.

"What’s being kept from you,” he answers me, as though I spoke out loud. “You deserve to have all the facts in place before you’re expected to make any decisions. Go straight back to Chester's, Dani." And with that, he turns and walks back into his office. "I will let Mac know you were looking for her."

"How long will she be?" Now I want to talk to her even more.

"No idea," he said without turning and shuts the door. That's Barrons for you. Man of few words.

Out of habit and because I need some time to myself, I fast-mo it to my favorite water tower and race myself to the top. My mind is a whirl with what Barrons said, so I'm not concentrating as well as I should and my race time sucks. But since no one but me will know, I don't worry too much. I'll beat my best time, next time.

I sit and dangle my feet off the edge. I love being up high. Somehow I just see clearer up here. I can also see danger coming far better than being on the ground, for B, B & B and Chester's. Ryodan bitches at me for dithering when I’m here sometimes, but I just tell him I'm acting as look-out and he shuts up. I don't know if he believes I'm actually helping or if he thinks I'm just staying out of trouble, but he stops complaining.

So! Barrons gave me permission to remember. Remember what? It's a catch 22, isn't it? If you don't remember something, then it's pretty fecking hard to remember what you've forgotten. The very nature of "forgetting" is that it's gone from your mind. Maybe if you can jog your memory you've got a chance of bringing it back, but if you've got nothing to trigger it, you are kinda fecked. I've got a mind like a steel trap; nothing gets out, it’s like photographic. I remember everything. I may not always understand what I've seen or what's been said, but I never forget it. It gets filed in my brain under "look at later when I'm older/wiser". This happens a lot with Ryodan. That dude, and Lor too for that matter, are always managing to confuse me. Well, I’m catching on more than I used to, but they still lose me sometimes. 

I kick my feet back and forth, working off excess energy, even while I'm stuffing a protein bar in my mouth. I chew and think. I begin at the beginning... my mom, the cage, the tv shows, Rowena, the order, my fellow sisters, Mac, Barrons, Dancer, Ryodan, and Lor. The summation of my life. I sigh and stare out at the horizon, not even seeing it as I take in all that's happened in my nearly eighteen years. Then I’m struck by a memory. 

When I was fifteen, Ryodan was teaching me how to leap off tall buildings and land on my feet. We started with one story shops and worked our way up. By the end of our second day I was jumping and landing solidly from three story buildings. It was the most fun I’d had while training with Ryodan up to that point, and we were getting along great. It was one of the first times I saw him as a mentor/friend and not judge/jury/jailer. I remember smiling a lot, even at him, and enjoying his company. I warmed to him a lot that day. We had… fun. 

It was early evening and we were getting ready to call it a day. Ryodan and I were discussing what we were going to be doing the next day. Heavy winds started to blow, which had made our last few jumps more challenging and my hair a messy mass. 

"When are we going to jump from roof to roof?” I said, eyeing the building next to us. “I'm expecting a cape for my sixteenth birthday, you know," I teased. I looked up at him, grinning wide enough to park a truck. He looked down at me with a smaller smile and brushed my hair away from my face, running his fingers through it. It would look to anyone else like a utilitarian action to get the hair out of my eyes, but to me it felt like a caress. 

"Black, blue or red." Of course he doesn't make it a question, with the normal inflection at the end, but I'd become so used to it that I didn’t hear it any more. He continued brushing loose tendrils on the other side of my head. Before it occurred to me to pull back from the caress he turned and walked away, looking for higher rooftops from which to jump. Such a small thing, really. To show affection for a pseudo-ward, but when it’s Ryodan, nothing is simple. It took on new meaning for me. I felt cared for. I was a detail worth of his attention.

My toes curl as I remember that day. The wind which made jumping difficult became an electrical storm Dublin had never seen before. Ryodan and I were getting ready to jump from a five story building in the northern part of Dublin when lightning hit the building next to us, causing a minor explosion, igniting the roof. The building we were on also caught fire and we were forced to jump sooner than Ryo thought I was ready for, so he noodled me over his shoulder and then jumped. I had him in a death grip around the waist but we made it down just fine. He landed like a cat, even with my extra weight. 

“Hold on, Dani,” he said as he fast-mo’ed us back home. I even bragged to Lor later that Ryodan ran in between the rain drops. No, he really did.

Why would I have forgotten such a terrific day? 

I remember lots of these little moments that first year of my training, tiny moments of kindness and caring. He showed me a gentle side to his nature which made me feel special. After that first year, he let Lor and Barrons teach me stuff, but Ryodan was still my main instructor. Fade taught me to play poker on the sly. Kasteo made me snacks. He's never said a word to me ever, but he's a fecking awesome cook and has a sweet smile. The rest of the guys are just cool to hang around. 

I've forgotten so much! I’m starting to get upset with myself when my short conversation with Barrons blasts into my brain. He gave me permission to remember… and I start remembering. This is fecking weird.

Short surges of memories start and stop in quick succession flowing through my brain, and then abruptly stop. The first pain hits me right between the eyes, like a mallet gently slamming into my skull. Painful, but survivable, lasts a few seconds, then fades.

I'm rubbing my forehead when I have another memory. This one of Lor. I was really blue about Dancer. I missed him and worried about him constantly. It'd been about four months into his disappearance when I began to fret about foul play. I stormed into Ryodan’s office, certain that he had something to do with it, and yelling that I better not ever find out he was involved in anything to do with Dancer's departure, when he got fed up with me and sent me to my room. My ROOM! I was embarrassed and pissed all kinds of off. Missing Dancer, furious at Ryodan, and on the verge of getting my period, which has gone down in legend as the trifecta of fecked-upidness, I burst into tears on my way to the elevator. Fat fecking tears streaming down my face. 

Lost in my misery, I didn't see Lor approach. He grabbed me and pulled me into the elevator when it arrived. He held me in a big bear hug as I cried and when we got to my room, he made me hot cocoa and played video games with me when I'd calmed down enough to hold the controller. Later, on his way to his own quarters, I told him "You're a good friend, Lor. The best one I've got." His answer was to grin and chuck me under the chin. I forgot about that, too? Do I have a brain tumor or something?

I’m thoroughly piqued when another headache slams me in the skull. This pain is much worse and I’m instantly nauseous, puking protein bar all over my water tower. When I’m finished, I hear Barrons in my head telling me to go straight back to Chester’s. Feck! I fast-mo it down the tower and race as fast as I can back home. I don't make it a mile when I’m blasted again with the sharpest pain yet. This one so intense I drop to my knees and clutch my head, moaning. I’m not a baby, I can take more than my fair share of pain, but this is unlike any I’ve ever suffered. It feels unreal, like no human could survive it.

When the pain starts to subside, I hurry home, finding the secret entrance to Chester's and head straight to my room. It seems to take me forever but must only take a few minutes. Just outside my room I'm hit with another pain, only this time I don't go down. I hold onto the door jamb so tightly I splinter the wood, but manage to keep my feet. Score one for the mega. Fade walks past me.

"You’re late, kid. Missed the meeting. Boss isn't too happy with you." I must have been away for hours. I turn to look at Fade. Just a side note about Ryo’s men; they don’t show much expression in their faces. Surprise and anger can look the same. Being around them for so long helps in reading their expressions so when Fade’s eyes widened slightly as he looks at me, I know it’s worse than I think. "What the fuck happened to you?" 

I feel blood running from my nose and I’m sure I’m pale as an over-cast sky. I slap the panel to open my door and say, "Get Ryo please, Fade. I need him." As soon as I'm through the doorway I collapse, gripped by another pain, and ride it out on the floor, clutching my head. It backs off and I struggle out of my clothes; boots, weapons, leathers, leaving them on the floor. Unclasping my bra, I pull it off. I crawl to my bureau to get a tee-shirt to wear when there's a loud pounding at the door and Ryodan storms in, followed by a concerned Lor. 

Seeing me in nothing but a thong, Ryodan spins around, shoves Lor out of the room and slams the panel with his fist, sliding the door shut in Lor's surprised face. "Dani," and then he's there with me and I know everything will be OK. I turn my head slowly to look at him, 'cause everything is starting to hurt. Pain is radiating from my head right down to my toes.

"What happened? Your eyes are bleeding." He crouches beside me and cups my cheek, running his thumb along my wet face. He brushes my hair back with the other hand. I don't have the energy to be embarrassed since I'm nearly naked. I reach for him like it's the most natural thing in the world and wrap my arms around his warm neck. 

Ryodan pulls me onto his lap and stands with me in his arms. He walks over to the bed and settles us on it, his back against the headboard, me in his lap. I rest my head on his chest and try to relax, closing my eyes. I lay my hand over his heart, taking comfort in the steady rhythm, feeling his hard muscles flex under my fingers. 

“Every time I’m in your arms, I’m in pain,” I observe.

“You weren’t in pain last night,” he reminds me of the mind blowing orgasm he gave me in his office last night. I burrow closer in answer, turning my face into his shoulder, smearing his white button-up with blood. “What happened, Dani. Did you get into a fight," Ryodan asks in his usual way of not punctuating his questions with inflection. 

"No," I whisper. "Don't understand what... happened. Lots of pain." On queue cue, I'm hit with another one. I jolt upright while holding my head, like the pressure of my hands will keep my skull from exploding. I groan, nearly screaming -- sounding more like a dying animal than myself. His hand is on my naked back, supporting me, holding me up. The pain finally passes, receding to a throbbing ache. I’m dripping blood onto my lap. "I'm a bloody mess." I'd snicker but I'm too miserable. I sink back down, laying my head on his chest again, and Ryodan wraps his arms around me. If you ever get sick and need tending, these are good arms to have about you. Not that I'm offering to share, just saying.

"Did you go see Mac." 

"No. Saw Barrons. She wasn't there." 

I can't see his face but his voice sounds like steel, cold and hard, when he asks, "Did he say anything unusual to you."

In broken sentences, because my head hurts when I talk and breath and blink, I tell him about my conversation with Barrons. "He gave me permission to remember and after that it this started," I manage to say. “Been remembering stuff… ‘bout you, ‘bout training. Forgot so much.” I trail off. “Don’t understand it. Thought I was smarter than this...” I feel blood tears streaking down my cheeks as pain flows through my head. I don’t finish my thought 'cause I’m trying not to puke again. Ryodan strokes my hair while I explain but stills as I conclude. His whole body tenses, as if the ramifications of my information is darker than I understand. 

“Mother Fucker!" He nearly whispers it, he's so quiet. "...always fucking butting in. He is as bad as an old busybody woman who doesn’t keep her own damn council. Fuck!" 

I look up at him, my head resting on his big bicep, and we lock gazes. Mine asks 'what?'. His expression softens as he looks at me. "You are a bloody mess," he smiles as he smooths my hair away from my face. "Now hear me, Dani Megan O'Malley. I give you permission to remember, remember it all. Allow it to flow around you, over you and into you. At your own pace, the memories will come. These memories will neither hurt you nor cause you pain. They will enlighten and give you clarity. You will find peace." He brushes his fingers along my cheek while he speaks. His voice is deep and rumbly to my ear. It comforts me. He sits me up a bit taller, still cradling me in his lap, and we wait. For another pain. For death, I don't know what. We just wait. 

As minutes trickle by, the pain which was roaring through my body slowly fades away, leaving a slight ache in its wake. Feeling slightly steadier, I shift my weight so I'm less recumbent and face him almost fully, as fully as I can be without straddling his lap. I rest my hands on his shoulders, clutching him. I'm waiting for the embarrassment of being 95% naked in front of him to hit me. It doesn't come. I run my hands over his shoulders to his neck, gliding under his collar to touch his warm, bare skin. His muscles are hard. He's such a large man, I feel fragile in his arms. I glance up at him. He watches me, waiting, his breathing even and calm. My heart's beginning to throb in my chest faster and faster, with each brush of my fingers over his flesh. I start to throb and grow wet between my legs. Covered in blood, still aching from this strange pain and Ryodan is turning me on. Only him, no feck.

“Pain's nearly gone,” I say absently, tracing my finger tips down his collar bone. I moan. His skin is so smooth. He smells like heaven. I don’t know why I feel so comfortable touching him. I start to pull away because really I shouldn't be groping him but he holds me fast to him, and then I'm not in my room or on his lap but absorbed in another memory.

I'm cleaning one of the sub clubs as punishment for being late to work. Ryo kinda locked me in mild confinement for a while, during my convalescence after getting shot. Guess he thought if I could be hurt and almost die due to the actions of someone he trusts, then plenty worse could happen to me with an enemy. Like, duh!

Anyway, I'm in one of the sub clubs found on the lower level. Not the fourth floor (where I saw Ryo and his men doing the nasty all those years ago), but low enough that the patrons are VIP's. This club is completely enclosed so the patrons can enjoy their privacy. Gah, so gross! Nothing but a stripper pole in the middle of the room, which must be 80 feet square, and couches and chairs surrounding it. The floor is sticky and I know what from! Fecking-A, it's enough to gag a rhino-boy! 

Armed with bleach and mop, I fast-mo through the chore of de-stickifying the floor. Bleach is a marvelous weapon against protein-based stains, and I am just about done when I'm blasted in the gut with white hot tingles that spiral down to my sex. I exhale in a rush and my heart instantly pounds as a wave of desire pulses through my body and flushes my skin pink. I break out in a sheen of sweat, almost driven to my knees with lust. It's so much that I’m shaking and drop the mop. I have to grab the stripper pole to keep my feet. My knees are jelly and I ache for a good, long, hard fucking. I'm so hot for touch I start to strip. I want to be nude and ready for him. I don't care who he is as long as he hurries. I'm down to my tank top and boy boxer briefs when the door crashes open and Ryodan flies into the room, slamming and locking the door behind him.

"Dani, what the hell are you doing. Stripping at Chester's isn't smart." I whip my head up at the sound of his voice and slowly smile as I take in his handsome face and "come and get me" body. Oh, how I want this man. I have for a long time. I grab the stripper pole with my other hand and whip myself around it, flinging myself closer to him. I take an unsteady step and then another, desire making my stride predatory but shaky. He's here and he calms me, though my heart still pounds furiously in my chest from his nearness. He's here and he's all mine.

"Hmmmm..." I tilt my head up and inhale his heady male scent. I moan with desire as I run my hands slowly up my body to cup my breasts. I strut closer. "Ryo? Do you know that you look good enough to eat?" Ryodan gives me a look that would melt glass. Step after step, I swing my hips as I stalk toward him, enticing him, even while he moves away. "How did I not notice before how delectable you are? Since there's a constant string of women waiting for a nod from you, I'm gonna guess your dick works just fine." I glance down at his slacks-covered groin. "Care to try it out... with me?" 

Ryodan lowers his head, chin to chest and looks up at me. It's a look that says, 'come closer if you dare but if you do you're going to get more than you bargained for'. 

“Oh, I dare,” I say. There! I read his mind this time! The throbbing in my lower body is a screaming, pulsing need and it must be addressed. Now!

"Rethink what you're offering, Dani. You're biting off more than you can swallow, and I'm certain there are outside forces manipulating you." I stop a few steps away, pouting my bottom lip, and throw a hip out. My nipples are hard and my breath is coming fast, like I've run a few miles instead of just walking across the floor. Frustrated by the confinement of cotton, I whip off my tank top and toss it on the floor. 

“Better.” I rub my swollen, hard-tipped breasts to try and alleviate the ache. I pinch my nipples and roll them between my fingers, closing my eyes and arching into my own touch as I do. I moan and toss my head back. I've never experienced this wanting so badly before. I need him inside me. Or I'll die. 

"Is that a 'no'?" I ask and look up at him. He’s standing rigid before me, like stone. I can’t even tell if he’s breathing. I take another step toward him. We're kinda doing a subtle dance; I step forward, he steps back... just enough to keep me a little more than arms length away. A sudden thought assaults my brain and fills me with worry. "You're not afraid of me, are you, Ryo? I would never hurt you, you sexy hunk of man, or force you to do something you were uncomfortable with. I'll be gentle. I'll make it good for you." I nod reassuringly, doing my best to put him at ease.

Something like a guffaw bursts from Ryodan. He throws his head back and laughs like I’ve never seen. This distraction was all I needed and I take full advantage. I lunge for him in fast-mo and manage to wrap my arms around his neck and my legs tightly around his waist. I lean close to kiss his luscious lips, but he turns his head and my kiss lands on his cheek. He grabs my hips, to push me away or hold me tightly to him I don’t know which, 'cause I’m too concerned with tasting him. If he won’t give me his mouth, I’ll settle for his throat. His pulse is throbbing in his neck. I flick my tongue over it and shudder. Suddenly I’m struck by deja vu. Seems I’ve been in this situation before, but thinking is interrupting my seduction, so I discard it and concentrate on nipping his ear.

"I want you, Ryodan. I need you inside me," I whisper in his ear, brushing my lips against his skin. I nuzzle his neck, nibbling him with my teeth and flicking my tongue over his warm skin. "I love touching you..." another flick of my tongue. Ryodan tilts his head to the side, giving me more access. "I want to be touching more of you... all of you..." Nuzzling him with my nose and kissing his neck, I try to entice him. 

"Please," I plead, "Drop your pants." I'm thrusting my hips against him in grinding, mind numbing thrusts. I don't have much experience in the matter but I do believe he's hard. And huge! 

My breath is coming in pants; the more I thrust, the harder it is to breathe. Tingles start shooting through my body, centering in my groin. I'm slick and ready for him. I moan in pleasure, slowing my pace, drawing out the sheer bliss. I notice Ryodan’s arms around me, one hand braced under my ass and the other pressed against my lower back. This is encouraging -- at least he's not pushing me away.

I start unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it from his pants, which proves difficult since I've got a death grip around his waist with my legs. I wriggle around, pulling his shirt up until it comes free and I rip it open, popping buttons as I tug it free from his pants. I try to pull it off completely, but it gets stuck on his broad shoulders 'cause they’re wrapped around me. I can't pull it completely off without leaving the circle of his arms. Feck that! 

I lean away from him, sitting on his hands which are helping hold me up. I glance up at him and the warmth in his eyes feels like a flash fire in my gut. I cup both sides of his face and run my fingers along his cheekbones, down his neck, over scars from battles past, and just enjoy the feel of him, hard muscle, sinew and warm smooth skin. I frown at the long scar which runs down the length of his neck. I lean close and kiss it, running my tongue along it. 

"I love your skin," I tell him, wrapping my arms tightly around him again and sticking my tongue in his ear, run it along the shell of it. "It's so smooth, you feel like velvet." I breathe him in, lick him, I thrust my pelvis against him. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck and whisper in the ear I licked, "Make love to me, Ryodan. Make me a woman, I'm so tired of waiting. I want your cock inside me now!" I'm rotating my hips rhythmically, hitting that spot. Hmmm, that spot... over and over. I think he’s gripping my ass with his hands and helping me move against him but I could have imagined it. I rain kisses over his cheek, his forehead, the tip of his nose. I'd be kissing his mouth but he avoids me, turning his head. 

I pull away and look at him, relying heavily on his support. I’m disgruntled. "Why won't you kiss me?"

"You’re not acting like yourself," Ryodan’s voice is a gutteral growl I can barely understand.

Annoyed, I counter, "Well, who the feck am I then?"

"You're under the influence of something. I'm not going to take advantage of you." If his jaw was clenched any tighter he'd break his fecking teeth. 

"WHAT?!” I explode. “Feck that, take it! Take me! Now! I want you to!" I'm all but shouting at him now. "Are you seriously just going to stand here and let me grind the ever living shit out of you until I come? And then what? You'll go find some bitch to boink instead because of some fecking honour code? When the feck did you turn all noble? You the same dude that locked me in a dungeon for three days?"

“I’ve explained to you before, I don’t boink. I fuck.” Ryodan’s fangs are out. 

“I don’t care what you call it, Ryodan. You can call it tip-toeing-through-the-ever-fecking-loving-tulips if you want. The important part is getting Point D to plunge into Point P! Get to plunging already, and the feck with terminology!”

Powerful electricity charges through me, teasing nerve endings which are already on full alert and I realize it's coming from Ryodan. I gasp, startled, and let go of him at the same time Ryodan drops his arms, and I fall. He moves in fast-mo and catches me under the arms, lifting me so we're face to face, nose pressed to nose. Ryodan’s expression is stormy. I half expect lightening to strike right here inside Chester’s. 

“Do you hear yourself?” He makes it a bona fide interrogatory. “Someday I’ll pull you to me so tight all you’ll feel is me. I’ll kiss you so hard and for so long you’ll forget your fucking name. Someday, I’ll lay you back in my bed and cover you in nothing else but me.” He brushes his nose across mine, side to side, like the way Eskimos kiss. “I’ll kiss your lips,” his voice turns sultry, deepening further to little above a growl, “and lick your bare skin and make you come so hard, for so long the only thoughts left in your beautiful red head will be of me and when we’ll make love again. Someday, Dani.” He pulls away a bit and shakes me once, like he thinks he can wake me up. “But not today and never like this.” 

He’s barely finished speaking when I’m hit by a surge of desire so strong that a scream rips out of my throat. I arch in his hands and he fast-mo’s me in a tight embrace. I hug him back and wrap my legs back around his hips. The moan that comes out of my throat sounds like someone else, low and sensual but aching with pain. It hurts not to achieve orgasm. Ryodan has one hand on my back, the other is bracing me against him, holding my ass. I’m gripping his shoulders in a death grip.

“Oh, ahhhh…Ryodan, please! I need..” I break off. I’m panting from the strong throbbing assaulting my sex. I’m quivering. I need to be touched and it’s an aching pain not to be. 

"Dani..." Ryodan begins, but he's interrupted.

"Dani, my darling. Seems I fucked up majorly, because all that scintillating heat was supposed to be directed at me," Christian says as he sifts into the sub club. Ryodan presses me closer and turns his back to Christian, keeping me as far away from him as possible. “I certainly wouldn’t be turning you away. How unmanly.” I’m aware of his presence but am not paying him heed. I’m too busy nibbling on Ryodan’s neck and breathing him in. I feel Ryodan bury the hand which was at my back, into my hair, holding me to him.

Christian casually strolls to the stripper pole, grabbing it and spinning around. He swivels his head in a decidedly inhuman, all-unseelie-prince manner, while Ryodan glares back at him. 

"I should have known Dani's behavior was due to you, you worthless piece of shit."

"Thought you were out of town, Dickhead," Christian directs his insult at Ryodan. He throws off sex-Fae-prince power like tomorrow isn't coming and he's got to use it or lose it. Ryodan growls deep in the back of his throat and keeps Christian at his back. "Don't have a friendly greeting for your devoted slave, Dani?"

Muffled against Ryodan's neck I answer, "Hi Christian," and go back to kissing Ryodan's throat.

Ryodan glances back at Christian. "You're dead, fairy boy."

"You should be thanking me, you ungrateful git!" Christian states. "All that pre-priya attention should be mine." He sifts out, taking his death-by-sex-fae power with him.

I'm kissing Ryodan's collarbone, running my tongue along his warm skin, when the pulse of desire from death-by-sex-fae power empties from my body fast as a blink. A bit dazed, I raise my head and meet Ryodan's stare, realization dawning like a sledgehammer slamming me in the gut. The sweet haze gone as quickly as a sift. I drop my eyes and make a production of uncoiling my legs from around his hips and stand. My knees are shaking and I realize my hands are, too. Adrenaline. 

I pull away and step back. I need space, I'm having trouble getting enough air into my lungs and I'm pretty certain it's because I was wet groin to hard erection with Ryodan, and I still want to be! Gah! 

Icy fingers of mortification creep around my lungs and squeeze. I want the earth to open up and swallow me whole. That or I need to escape, and it doesn’t seem like the earth is going to provide me with a sink hole at Chester’s. I take another step and spin away, fast-mo’ing to the door. I only open the door a few inches when Ryodan is behind me again, slamming it shut with his palm. 

His voice is a growl in my ear. “You’re naked.”

Horror. Does life get worse than this? If I believed in God, I’d say he was trying to kill me with humiliation. I feel movement at my back. Ryodan pulls his shirt around my shoulders. It covers me neck to knees. I grab it and wrap it tightly around it me. 

"Not your fault. Just forget about the whole…. “, he continues.

In a blink I'm back in my room, sitting on my bed, in Ryodan's lap. My forehead resting on his chest, eyes closed, lost in the memory. Slowly, I become aware of my surroundings. Like Ryodan's finger tips rubbing my lower back, trailing up and down my spine. Soothing. Seductive. I raise my head and look up at him. 

"Mucking out the whore-ster club," I say to his quizzical expression. “Christian, trying to turn me pri-ya, that fecker.” His fingers never stop their gentle assault on my lower spine. “How did you know…” I trail off. 

"You never clutch the stripper pole until after you've cleaned it." The corners of his mouth go up, revealing his most devilish smile. "I knew something was up." For the first time I'm happy Chester's is close-circuit monitored.

My hands rest on his chest, but I move them up his neck and around to clasp behind his head. I'm flush against him, hip to chest, with only his shirt between us. My heart throbbing loudly -- I’m sure he can hear it. 

"Do I remember everything now?" I ask.

One of his hands comes to rest on my hip. The other, the hand which drew those lazy lines on my spine rests palm flat against my back, his pinky playing with the elastic of my thong. He doesn't answer me. No surprise there.

"Why did you block my memories?" I ask. 

He leans in and licks my side of my face, jaw to cheek and nuzzles his nose against my hair. I tilt my head and relish the affection. Affection from Ryodan is a heady thing. I wonder, in some far away part of my brain, if all his women get affection from him. Somehow I don't think they do.

"Hmmmm," I moan. I gradually become aware of two different things. First and maybe most important is that I'm naked in his lap, on my bed and second, I'm covered in blood from the skull-crushing head pain. While I ponder if I care about either of these two things enough to leave his warm embrace, Ryodan kisses my cheek, my eye lids, my nose... he scatters kisses and tiny licks all over my face and neck. His lips are firm and soft all at the same time. 

He's working his sultry kisses down my neck when I ask, "Will I remember anything else?" I tilt my head back, giving him more access to my throat and lower.

"Yes." His voice is little more than a growl. "Your skin is so soft, Dani." The hand on my hip slides up the side of my body, grabbing me under the arm and tilting my body back, his other hand supports my lower back, his finger tips tracing lazy circles. I'm wetter and more excited than I've ever been. Ryodan's mere presence is enough to muddle my mind on a good day. Being in his arm scrambles more than my brain. My body is in chaos! 

I moan as his tongue runs along my breast bone. My hip presses hard against his groin, which is hard as a rock. I tense a little. My body is throbbing in all the right places but something isn't quite right. As though my thoughts were spoken aloud, Ryodan licks back up my body, nipping my skin, leaving tiny bite marks on my body. He kisses the side of my face, my cheek, and settles me back against his body, snuggling me to him. He wraps his arms around my body and grips the back of my head, holding me to his chest. 

"Sleep, Dani. We can talk about this later. Now, you need to sleep."

"I'm not tired, Ryodan. I don't need t..." 

_____________________________________________________

I dream that night, only while I dream I know they're memories and not just nocturnal hallucinations. Some are just little pockets of time. A look, a soft brush of his hand over my back. Affection without heat but always with desire for a closer, deeper connection buried just under the surface. 

I remember going to Fairy and dancing in that great hall with Ryodan. Wow, he's totally hot in a tux. I remember being in the elevator with him directly afterward, and his restraint at my insistent kisses. So many times we've been close, intimate without our guards up. I dream so many memories back that I oversleep.

I bolt up straight, startled but uncertain what caused my surprise, then hear the incessant pounding on the door. I check myself to see if I'm still nearly naked and see I'm in my PJ's. 

"Just a second!" I slide out of bed and shuffle to the door. I'm groggy so I'm moving slower than slow-mo. Ryodan was right. I did need sleep. I guess bleeding out of four holes in your head while suffering excruciating pain drains a person; even me. "Hold your water! I'm coming. Holy Impatient Imbecile, Batman! You must be mental to...," I open the door, "pound like a fool! Lor!? What's wrong?"

Lor doesn't say anything but brushes past me and enters the room. I hit the panel to close the door and turn toward him. 

"What's up, Lor? You look..." I pause cause nothing looks wrong. "...calm. You don't look upset at all. What the feck, dude!? You burst in here like the walls are re-crashing! You made me nervous."

"Do you know what the fuck time it is? Honey, it's nearly eleven."

"What's the big deal? I've only been asleep for --- wait. Which eleven? PM or AM?"

"AM. Why else do you think I'm freaking out?" 

"OK, first of all you look totally fecking calm, at peace with the entire free world. Secondly, why did you let me sleep so long? Why didn't Ryodan come down and get me? Why didn't you bang on the door at 6PM like you always do?"

"We were out." I know that when Lor says "we" he's talking all eight or nine of them; Barrons is an optional addition and not always included.

"Well, I'm up now. Get out so I can get dressed." I start for the bathroom but Lor doesn't move. "I'm not going to change in front of you dude, so why don't you toddle out of here so I can get to it. Ryodan is going to make me clean the stripper club again if I don't get my ass in gear."

"No he won't. He told me to make you rest."

"Rest? I can't rest. Rest is boring. I did enough resting after I got sho..." I stop in mid sentence. I don't want to keep bringing up getting shot in front of Lor. It's like rubbing salt in lots of tiny cuts and I don't want to guilt him. Ryodan killed him like 10 times. Enough is enough.

"No, you rest. Memories are going to be sliding through your brain for a few more days and you can't be out in the streets when one hits you. You'll be vulnerable and he doesn't want you in the club either."

"So what? You're down here to play vids with me again?"

"Ah, you remembered that, huh?"

"Yup. Was one of the first to flood my head." I pause. "I don't understand something though."

"Yeah, what's that?" He asks. 

"Well, most of my memories centered around Ryodan. That was the only one I've had of you, at least so far. Why was that one hidden? There wasn't anything... ah..." I barely stifle a snicker but dude, it was a close one. "Well, it was friendly and warm and would have cemented our friendship. It just clarifies how close we are."

"And is a shining example of how you ran to me to take care of you when you were hurting cause of something the boss did."

"I wasn't hurting. And I didn't run to you either. I ran and you just happened to be there. Anyway, what did he do? Cast a spell on me or something?"

"Ah, honey, he's going to have to answer that one himself."

"Where is he anyway? After yesterday, I kinda thought he'd be here when I woke up." I flush at the thought. 

"He's got personal matters to attend to. And that's all I'm gonna say, kid, so drop it," he added when I opened my mouth to question him further. 

"Well, fine! Don't have to get in a snit."

Lor grinned and handed me the game controller, settling down to get comfortable in front of the flat screen. 

"What shall it be? 'Need for Speed' or 'Zombie Apocalypse'"?


End file.
